ceiling work continues slowly

While the cats doze peacefully (it's raining outside, and the stove is lit) we are continuing the ceiling - sloooowly!

Them as knows our crazy old cottage will have seen the less-than-ultra-straight beams we have downstairs. We are gradually covering the Kronoply with limewaxed lambris (tongue-and-groove), set at 45 degrees (set at right angles, it looks too much like a roll-top-desk, and in fact the angled setting is easier...)

The latest section is the hardest yet, with navigating round the staircase, the electric 'gaine', through which the cables run, and most difficult, the mad shapes of the beams.

Our B&Q chop-saw was a waste of money! It has only run faithfully for 12+ years, survived three new sets of brushes and is still going strong. It's handy laser light gave up the ghost some years ago, but we're not complaining...

Makes a change to be able to hand out complements for something! 

et voila! the widest, most uneven, least accessible row of the lot (I hope) - DONE!!

7th April - a productive day

we got loads done yesterday, starting with getting the gite ready for the first guests of the season, who are arriving monday evening.

 I have been trying to get the two single bedspreads finished for ages, and eventually managed it yesterday. They're a bit brighter than what I would normally make, but I reckon if you arrive for a holiday, you don't want anything too sombre. Anyway, thats what I had I my fabric cupboard!

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I sort-of finished off a couple of wooden spoons (one's a sort-of spatula/spoon) while I let lunch go down. Then we were back to leylandii-bashing. 

The huge piles that we started with have now reduced to one small pile, lots of piles of logs and some HUGE piles of poo!

Pete is behind the remaining pile to be cleared

Nearly finished - may get it done today if the weather holds, then we have a log cutting and transporting job to do. Our neighbour Yvon will get rid of the poo with his tractor, then he is going to harrow-up the ground and re-sow it with grass. We'll need some rain to make that grow!

Here are the 80-odd beech seedlings that we hope use to to replace the leylandiis - will be a few years till they are any significant size, but will certainly be nicer than the previous hedge

Finally, in a mad fit of enthusiasm I mowed the orchard. The sheep appreciated this & started eating the shorter grass immediately. Now we need some rain....